Embalming materials



Patented June 5, 1951 EMBALMING MATERIALS Charles A. Noll, Philadelphia,Pa., assignor of one-half to Ralph M. Hibbs, Philadelphia, Pa.

No Drawing. Application January 10, 1947, Serial No. 721,483

14 Claims.

This invention relates to materials and compositions for embalming andmethods of utilizing such materials, and particularly to quaternaryammonium compounds and compositions containing the same for suchpurposes.

Heretofore, various oils and formaldehyde and formaldehyde mixtures havebeen used to preserve dead bodies. Preservation by means of suchmaterials depends upon the embalming fluid uniting with the protein inthe dead body as well as killing bacteria which may be present.Coagulation or precipitation of the protein in such action is known asfirming action or fixing. It is characterized by the various parts ofthe body becoming stiff or hard to the touch.

The old types of embalming agents are unsatisfactory from a number ofstandpoints. They are toxic and must be handled with extreme care.Formaldehyde materials particularly have a very offensive odor andattempts to mix such materials with substances to disguise such odorhave not been satisfactory.

While recent suggestions in the prior art for the utilizing of embalmingcompositions containing incompletely substituted quaternary ammoniumcompounds have exhibited some improvement over prior art materials, butstill did not satisfy all of the requirements for such materials becausethose proposals require the inclusion of substantial amounts offormaldehyde with such incompletely substituted quaternary ammoniumcompounds in order to obtain satisfactory results.

Among the objects of the present invention is the production ofembalming materials which may be utilized by themselves to securesatisfactory embalming functions without requiring the utilization offormaldehyde or similar types of materials with them.

Further objects'include methods of utilizing such compositions forembalming purposes.

Still further objects and advantages of the present invention willappear from the more detailed description set forth below, it beingunderstood that such more detailed description is given by Way ofillustration and explanation only, and not by way of limitation, sincevarious changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention embalming compositions areutilized which contain non-poisonous quaternary ammonium compounds thatare tetra-organo substituted ammonium halides desirably utilized in anaqueous vehicle.

Embalming of dead bodies can be efiiciently accomplished with suchmaterials. The protein in the dead body is firmly fixed by suchmaterials and the action can be carried out by simple compositions underconditions that are readily utilized. Thus from 5 to 50% of thetetra-organo substituted ammonium halide in an aqueous vehicle may bereadily employed, particularly at temperatures of from to F. as anembalming agent.

The action of the stated quaternary ammonium compounds can be enhancedand materially improved by utilizing with them water-soluble inorganicsalts which are compatible with the quaternary ammonium compounds andwhich salts also have the property of precipitating proteins. Asexemplifying such water-soluble salts there may be mentioned the alkalimetal and ammonium sulfates and acid sulfates, sulfites and acidsulfites, and various phosphates and acid phosphates including forexample, the metaphosphates. While varying amounts of such inorganicsalts may be incorporated into the composition, desirably there is usedfrom 0.5 to 20% of such inorganic salt based on the total weight of thecomposition. Specifically such salts may be sodium sulfite, sodium acidsulfite, sodium sulfate, sodium acid sulfate, and sodium metaphosphate.

The tetra substituted ammonium halides that may be utilized inaccordance with the present invention may be generally formulated asfollows in which R1 and R2 are desirably lower alkyl radicals or arylgroups and R3 is desirably a lower alkyl group, aryl, alkenyl, alkoxy oraralkyl where the alkyl again is a lower alkyl group, and Ha is ahalogen. The lower alkyls are particularly methyl, ethyl, etc., whilethe halogens are desirably chlorine or bromine. T in this formulationmay be alkyl more particularly a long chain alkyl group, for example,having more than '7 carbon atoms, as for example, lauryl or similargroups obtained from cocoanut oil, or T may be aryl or may be the groupR4X-rAr O-alkylene, in which R4 is an alkyl, aryl, aralkyl or halogenaralkyl, the alkyl groups in the aralkyl and halogen substituted aralkylgroups desirably being a lower alkyl; Ar isa benzene residue orsubstituted benzene residue,

X is a bridging group, O is oxygen, and alkylene is a lower aliphaticalkylene group.

The aryl trialkyl ammonium halides may be formulated generally asfollows:

in which Ar is aryl, R1 and R2 are desirably alkyl, preferably loweralkyl groups such as methyl, ethyl, etc., and R3 is also alkyl butpreferably a long chain alkyl having more than 7 carbon atoms such aslauryl as pointed out above.

The tetra-alkyl ammonium halides may be generally formulated as followsR1 Its-N 11,

in which R1, R2 and R3 are alkyl groups preferably lower alkyl groups,while R5 is an alkyl desirably a long chain alkyl having more than 7carbon atoms, such as lauryl, or other groups as pointed out above. Hais halogen desirably in all of these formulations, chlorine or bromine.

The alkylene containing tetra substituted ammonium halides may begenerally formulated as follows R4XAr0A1kyleneNR l\ Ha R3 in which R1,R2 and R3 have the designations for similar groups as set forth above inconnection with the first formulation, Ha is halogen desirably chlorineor bromine, alkylene is a lower aliphatic alkylene group such asCH2-CH2, O is oxygen, Ar is a benzene residue or substituted benzeneresidue, X is a bridging'group such as -CH2 or CI-IR4 and R4 is anorganic hydrocarbon or substituted hydrocarbon radical more particularlyalkyl, such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, etc., or a cyclo aliphatic groupsuch as cyclehexyl, or an aralkyl such as phenyl alkyl, or a Any numberof quaternary ammonium salts may 1 be utilized in admixture if desired,particularly those specifically set forth immediately above and may beutilized as indicated in concentrations of from 5 to 50% by weight in anaqueous vehicle which may be water alone or may include organic liquidsolvents miscible with water and compatible with the halide, as forexample, ethyl alcohol. The amounts of such organic liquid solventsincluded may vary particularly where as with alcohol it'is miscible withwater in all proportions.

Solutions of these quaternary ammonium compounds give an excellentfirming action on the protein of the dead body in relatively shortperiods of time. one or more of the water-soluble inorganic salts Toenhance such firming action 7- referred to above may be utilized,particularly in amounts from 0.5 to 20% by weight in the composition andthese inorganic salts may be used either in the aqueous vehicles or inthe aqueous vehicles containing an organic liquid solvent.

Many of the quaternary ammonium compounds are sufiiciently soluble inwater to be utilized at the concentrations indicated as embalmingagents. If desired the temperature at which they are employed may befrom 70 to 110 F., and such compositions may be used at'the stated rangeof temperatures or other temperatures in the usual way thatembalmingcompositions are employed.

As exemplary of compositions that may be used in accordance with thepresent invention, the following are given illustratively.

Mix 5 pounds of the quaternary ammonium salt as above illustratedgraphically with pounds of water (city water or distilled water) at atemperature of 70 F. to 110 F. This mixture shall be clear when finishedand shall not contain any undissolved particles.

Example 2.Mix 5 pounds of the quaternary ammonium salt of Example 1above with T 6 pound of sodium meta phosphate and enough watersufiicient to bring the total to pounds. In this case would be 94.5pounds. This mixture shall be clear when finished and shall not conetain any undissolved particles.

Example 3 @CH. N:CH. r

Mix from 5 to 50 pounds of the quaternary ammonium salt as aboveillustrated graphically with 95 to 50 pounds. of water,(city water ordistilled) at a temperature of 70 F. to F. This mixture shall be clearwhen finished and shall not contain any undissolved particles.

Example 4.Mix from 5 to 50 pounds of the quaternary ammonium salt ofExample 3 with pound of sodium meta phosphate and enough water to makethe total weight 100 pounds which in this case would be 94.5 to 49.5pounds of water. This mixture shall be clear when finished and shall notcontain any undissolved particles.

Mix from 5 to 50 pounds of the quaternary ammonium salt as aboveillustrated graphically with 95 to 50 pounds of water (city water ordistilled water) at a temperature of 70 F. to 110 F. This mixture shallbe clear when finished and shall not contain any undissolved particles;

Example 6.-Mix from 5 to 50 pounds of the quaternary ammonium salt ofExample 5 with T 6 pound of sodium meta phosphate and enough water tomake the total weight 100 pounds. Which in this case would be 94.5 to49.5 of water. This mixture shall be clear when finished and shall notcontain any undissolved particles.

Example 7.-Mix from 5 to 50 pounds of.- the quaternary ammonium salt ofExample 5 with 95 to 50 pounds of 95% (by volume) of ethyl alcohol at 70F. to 80 F. This mixture shall be clear when finished and shall notcontain any undissolved particles.

Example 8.MiX from 5 to 50 pounds of the quaternary ammonium salt asabove illustrated graphically in Example 5 with 95 to 50 pounds of 95%(by volume) of acetone at 70 F. to 80 F. This mixture shall be clearwhen finished and shall not contain any undissolved particles.

Having thus set forth my invention, I claim:

1. An embalming material comprising from 5 to 50% of a tetra-organosubstituted ammonium halide in an aqueous vehicle, the tetraorganosubstituted ammonium halide having the formula R1 TNRz be.

in which R1 and R2 are selected from the group of lower alkyls and arylradicals, R3 is selected from the group consisting of lower alkylradicals, long chain alkyl groups, aryl groups, alkenyl, alkoxy, andaralkyl groups, Ha is halogen, and T is selected from the groupconsisting of aryl, long chain alkyl, R.4-X-ArO-Alkylene, where R4 isselected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, aralkyl and halogensubstituted aralkyl groups, the alkyl in the aralkyl and halogensubstituted aralkyl groups being lower aliphatic radicals, Ar is abenzene residue, X is a bridging group, O is oxygen, and alkylene is alower aliphatic alkylene group.

2. A composition as set forth in claim 1, in which the halide is lauryldimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride.

3. A composition as set forth in claim 1 in which the halide is lauryltrimethyl ammonium bromide.

4. A composition as set forth in claim 1 in which the halide is lauryldimethyl ethyl am monium bromide.

5. A composition as set forth in claim 1 in which the halide is amixture of lauryl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, lauryl trimethylammonium bromide, and lauryl dimethyl ethyl ammonium bromide.

6. A composition as set forth in claim 1 which includes from 0.5 to 20%of a water-soluble, promin-precipitating inorganic salt compatible withthe halide.

7. A composition as set forth in claim 1 which includes from 0.5 to of awater-soluble, alkali metal sulfate as a protein-precipitating inorganicsalt compatible with the halide.

8. A composition as set forth in claim 1 which includes from 0.5 to 20%of a water-soluble, alkali metal sulfite as a protein-precipitatinginorganic salt compatible with the halide.

9. A composition as set forth in claim 1 which includes from 0.5 to 20%of a water-soluble, alkali metal phosphate as a protein-precipitatinginorganic salt compatible with the halide.

10. A composition as set forth in claim 1 which includes from 0.5 to 20%of a mixture of at least two Water soluble alkali metal salts from thesulfates, bisulfates, sulfites, bisulfites, phosphates and acidphosphates, as a protein-precipitating inorganic salt mixture compatiblewith the halide.

11. A composition as set forth in claim 1 which includes an organicliquid solvent miscible with water and compatible with the halide.

12. A composition as set forth in claim 11, in which the solvent isethyl alcohol.

13. An embalming material comprising from 5 to of a tetra-organosubstituted ammonium halide in an aqueous Vehicle, the tetra-organosubstituted ammonium halide being a com pound in which the organo groupsare two lower alkyl groups, one long chain alkyl group and one arylgroup.

14. An embalming material comprising from 5 to 50% of a tetra-organosubstituted ammonium halide in an aqueous vehicle, the tetraorganosubstituted ammonium halide being a compound in which the organo groupsare three lower alkyl groups and one long chain alkyl group.

CHARLES A. NOLL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,042,974 Weissfiog June 2, 19362,087,131 Taub et al July 13, 1937 2,108,765 Domagk Feb. 15; 19382,189,664 Katzman Feb. 6, 1940 2,295,504 Shelton Sept. 8, 1942

1. AN EMBALMING MATERIAL COMPRISING FROM 5 TO 50% OF A TETRA-ORGANOSUBSTITUTED AMMONIUM HALIDE IN AN AQUEOUS VEHCLE, THE TETRAORGANOSUBSTITUTED AMMONIUM HALIDE HAVING THE FORMULA